section

sec·tion
/ ˈsekshən/
•
n.
1.
any of the more or less distinct parts into which something is or may be divided or from which it is made up:
arrange orange sections on a platter. ∎
a relatively distinct part of a book, newspaper, statute, or other document.
∎
a measure of land, equal to one square mile.
∎
a particular district of a town.
2.
a distinct group within a larger body of people or things:
the children's section of the library. ∎
a group of players of a family of instruments within an orchestra:
the brass section. ∎
a small class of students who are part of a larger course but are taught separately:
graduate students lead discussion sections for professors' lecture courses. ∎
[in names]
a specified military unit:
a camouflage section was added to the army. ∎
a subdivision of an army platoon.
∎ Biol.
a secondary taxonomic category, esp. a subgenus.
3.
the cutting of a solid by or along a plane. ∎
the shape resulting from cutting a solid along a plane.
∎
a representation of the internal structure of something as if it has been cut through vertically or horizontally.
∎ Surgery
a separation by cutting.
∎ Biol.
a thin slice of plant or animal tissue prepared for microscopic examination.
•
v. [tr.]
divide into sections:
she began to section the grapefruit. ∎ (section something off)
separate an area from a larger one:
parts of the curved balcony had been sectioned off with wrought-iron grilles. ∎ Biol.
cut (animal or plant tissue) into thin slices for microscopic examination.
∎ Surgery
divide by cutting:
it is common veterinary practice to section the nerves to the hoof of a limping horse.DERIVATIVES:sec·tioned
adj. [often in comb.]
a square-sectioned iron peg.

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section

section. Surface or portion obtained by a cut made through a structure or any part of a structure to reveal its profile, and/or interior. It may therefore show the outline of a moulding, and a drawing of an imaginary vertical cut through a building will show the elevations of the walls of internal rooms, the convention being that all beyond the plane made by the intersection of the section is depicted in elevation. A plan is therefore a section, the section-plane being horizontal, and shows the floors in elevation.

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section

section cutting; subdivision of a written or printed work or document; part cut off XVI; drawing of an object as if cut through XVII. — F. section or L. sectiō, -ōn-, f. sect-, pp. stem of secāre cut, f. IE. *sek-.

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